tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post115230850875704176..comments2023-06-25T09:42:22.964-05:00Comments on Holiness of Heart and Life: Is Bigger Necessarily Better?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12145416736697860158noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1155161194073486422006-08-09T17:06:00.000-05:002006-08-09T17:06:00.000-05:00Interesting to stumble upon your blog, this post i...Interesting to stumble upon your blog, this post in particular, espeically after I had just written and posted <A HREF="http://nazareneroundtable.blogspot.com/2006/08/bigger-better-faster-more.html" REL="nofollow">this</A> at a new blog (started by some friends of mind, and to which I am a contributor) that you might also find interesting: <A HREF="http://nazareneroundtable.blogspot.com/" REL="nofollow">Nazarene Roundtable</A>.<BR/><BR/>I have also started up <A HREF="http://sacramentalnazarenes.blogspot.com" REL="nofollow">Sanctifying Worship: Nazarenes For Liturgical Renewal</A>, which I also invite you to check out. Nazarene bloggers unite! <BR/>in peace,<BR/>BrannonBrannon Hancockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08972293811289249741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1153953929157647662006-07-26T17:45:00.000-05:002006-07-26T17:45:00.000-05:00In my humble opinion, even the smaller churches wi...In my humble opinion, even the smaller churches with more than one service have lost a sense of being a "body" or family. It goes without saying that mega-churches cannot have a family "feel". Just my opinion.Seekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06417070900691549684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1153406826013305492006-07-20T09:47:00.000-05:002006-07-20T09:47:00.000-05:00I do think that some people go to mega churches be...I do think that some people go to mega churches because they can hide, get lost in the crowd. It is hard to "sneak in" to a church service where there are less than 100 people. I opt for the smaller church where you can get to know people, form relationships, be family. But sometimes they become closed in upon themselves. <BR/>The last church my husband pastored had an average attendance of 24 and met in our living room. We worked hard to ensure our members were aware of being a part of a much bigger Church - the body of Christ. We prayed for other churches and pastors in the community every Sunday. We volunteered with the Salvation Army, a shelter for the homeless, nursing home etc. We participated in a community based Passion Play and we often visited other churches when they had special speakers or services. After 3 years however, we realized that our "members" had children and youth that really needed to be part of larger community where everyone wasn't brother, sister or cousin...so we helped them find other, larger churches and went on a Sabatical. Feels like soon the Lord will give us the green light to go back into ministry...but we don't think it will be in any kind of "traditional" church, Mega or Micro. I think the LORD, the Holy Spirit can move through any church model, and also that the enemy can get in and pervert/deceive any model as well.Arthur Brokop IIhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15347223269423770913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1152672069952909512006-07-11T21:41:00.000-05:002006-07-11T21:41:00.000-05:00Shae,I think I'm with you on this. in fact, I wou...Shae,<BR/><BR/>I think I'm with you on this. in fact, I would rather pay a few bucks more and go to the local hardware store than to the big Wal-Mart down the street.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12145416736697860158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1152648175894408602006-07-11T15:02:00.000-05:002006-07-11T15:02:00.000-05:00Small is the new big. The same culture that broug...Small is the new big. The same culture that brought us Mega-Churches also gave us shopping malls and there is a significant trend towards getting away from those things. I am encouraged by it, personally.shaemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11861432104401629440noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1152566111999810612006-07-10T16:15:00.000-05:002006-07-10T16:15:00.000-05:00Inheritor,You go ahead and ramble! Your thoughts ...Inheritor,<BR/><BR/>You go ahead and ramble! Your thoughts and ramblings are welcome here.<BR/><BR/>Your comments about involvement, hiding, and being Jesus outside the walls are great points. I, too, need to reflect a little more on this.<BR/><BR/>~KevinAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12145416736697860158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1152542735174341582006-07-10T09:45:00.000-05:002006-07-10T09:45:00.000-05:00The church I attend has grown from about 300 in wo...The church I attend has grown from about 300 in worship on a Sunday to about 1000 spread over 3 services. We have since added a multipurpose room (gym sized) and a much larger worship space than what we had previously. When we joined 16 years ago it seemed like a very small congregation where (once we became involved) we knew nearly everyone. Now (because we are still very involved) we know quite a large number though not all. There are a couple of key aspects to a larger church (I would not consider us a mega-church) in terms of staying connected. We have many opportunities for small groups and ministries. The worship team for example (who are not professionals but volunteers) minister to one another on a regular basis. When my wife went in to the hospital with her heart attack, yes, the pastor came down there but the greatest long term ministry came through people we knew from our "care group" (our small group) and our prayer ministry team. These relationships were made because we chose to be involved in the church and in various aspects of ministry that the laity are supposed to do as part of being the Body of Christ. Also, we called them and told them about our situation and need. I know of many who under similar situations do not call or do not have any built up relationships in the church and feel hurt when no one visits. How can someone visit if they don't know you are sick? Who will visit if you have no caring relationships in the church? <BR/><BR/>Sometimes I wonder if people go to a larger church to hide, so they will not be called upon to do the work that is needed to be done. Do some go to a smaller church because the pastor will do everything and they won't have to? Some go to a larger church to network their personal and professional relationships. Some go to a smaller church because it feels more like a family. Certainly in a mega-church small groups would have to be necessary to retain any sense of family. A question might be, Why do we go to church at all? I believe we are called to be a community. We are called to be Jesus to each other and to the world "outside" the walls of the church building. My family is not just through flesh and blood but it is truly through the shared blood of Jesus who called us into his body, who calls us brothers and sisters.<BR/><BR/>I believe our church has grown because the Lord has caused it to. Because the Holy Spirit is allowed to do what he does best, draw people to Jesus. We are considering the satellite model because we don't want to be a mega-church at one huge campus. We do want to retain whatever the Lord is blessing in terms of expanding the kingdom through us.<BR/><BR/>I think the Lord will use whatever model we choose as long as we are about his kingdom expansion and the preaching of the good news of Jesus. I see kingdom expansion as making disciples not making conversions. It is the lived out relationship with Christ and with each other that making disciples is about. It is about growth. Growing to be more like Jesus.<BR/><BR/>Sorry, kinda got a bit rambly there. Too big a topic for this bitty comment space. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8985805.post-1152321187745634032006-07-07T20:13:00.000-05:002006-07-07T20:13:00.000-05:00Just in reading through that post, many things run...Just in reading through that post, many things run across my mind. I think I will think on that one a bit, that is a lot to consider. One question I would add though, is just because a church is large and growing, does that mean they are growing in Spirit or finances or both?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com